Linotype-machine.



PATENTED MAR. 10, 1903.

L. CESANA. LINOTYPE MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED Mum, 1901.

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LlNOTYPE-IVIACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 722,284, dated March 10, 1903. Application filed May 21, 1901. Serial No. 61,212. (No model.)

T0 at whom it WHY/y concern.-

Be it known that LLUIGI OESANA, a subject of the King of Italy, residing at Rome, in the Kingdom of Italy, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Linotype-Machines, of which the following is a description.

The present invention relates to an auto matic feeding device for linotype-machines, wherebya regular and uninterrupted supply of type-metal is fed to the melting-pot in proportion to the amount withdrawn for casting the type. It sometimes happens that the operator of the machine owing to excessive work forgets to add the necessary amount of typemetal to the melting-pot, and consequently the metal in it is excessively overheated, whereby, besides considerable loss of time, imperfect lines and other inconveniences are caused. Even if the attention of the operator is not taken up by his other duties the introduction of metal into the melting-pot at regular time intervals always causes a lowering of the temperature of the molten metal, and consequently the lines and characters sometimes lack precision and clearvice applied to a linotype-machine, and Fig.

2 is a detail sectional elevation of the means for lengthening and shortening the rod f.

To the upper part of the-frame or support a of the machine is fixed a second support I), which in its turn carries a rectangular guiding-channel c, the bottom of which is closed up by an endless chain or belt d, on which is placed the metal q to be fed into the melting-pot r. The belt is operated by means of a gear or a toothed wheel c, which receives an intermittent movement by means of a spring g, actuated rod f, and a roller 7L. Said rod can be lengthened or shortened in order to increase or decrease, as desired, the speed of the endless belt, which can be arranged to travel the distance of one or several teeth each time the cam-lever and an arm 1', engaging the rod, are raised. The rodfis supported in a guide 7' and can be controlled by means of a screwk, these parts being carried by a bracket Z, secured to a support m on the frame. The upper end n of the rod, which engages the toothed wheel 6, is pivoted on 0 to the main portion of the rod, so as to be capable of sliding over the backs of the teeth 12 of the toothed wheel 6, in engagement with which they are held by a spring 19.

g indicates a rod, which is slidingly mounted in the guide j, the lower end of said rod carrying the roller h. A coiled spring g, mounted on the rod g intermediate the roller and the guidej, exerts a stress on the rod to cause it to normally assume a lowered position, as represented in Fig. 2.

The upper end of the rod g carries an arm A, in which is mounted a stud or pin 9 upon which is mounted the hand-wheel 7c and the toothed wheel which is in mesh with the teeth f on the rod f. By turning the wheel 1.: in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 2, the rod f will be elevated, and by turning said wheel 7r; in the opposite direction the rod f will be lowered. For the purpose of maintaining the rod in its adjusted position a small toothed wheel Bis mounted on the stud g with which wheel a pawl B on a support 19 carried by the rod g, engages.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows: Each time that the second cam-lever X is raisedthat is to say, that on account of the rotation of the said cam around the shaft y-the arm t passes from the position shown in dotted lines to that shown in full lines. It presses upward the roller h, mounted on the rod f. This rod may be lengthened or shortened,as required, by means ofascrewlaso as to turn the wheel a distance of one or more teeth 1;, according to the advancing movement determined for the endless chainthat is to say, according to whetherit is desired to cause one, two, or more lines to fall into the melting-pot-and in its upward movement it thus turns the wheel 6 for a distance of, say, two teeth in the direction of the arrow. This (oil movement causes the endless chain d, mounted on a drum at, which is fixed to or is a part of the wheel 6, to advance for a certain distance, so as to cause, say, two lines to fall into the melting-pot. With the operation of the machine it is evident that at each revolution of the shaft y the endless chain will advance for a distance of two, three, or four teeth, as desired, so as to cause the desired number of lines to fall into the melting-pot. Each time that the arm i returns to the position shown in dotted lines the spring g'causes the rod b to descend to its former position. The point n is pivoted to the rod fat 0, so that it may slide over the teeth of the wheel 6 in its descent, and a spring 19 causes it to engage with the said teeth in this upward movement.

The metal pieces are supported at the back by a block 5, secured to a rail by a hook if, so that on arriving at the end of the bands upper surface it is prevented from falling down into the melting-pot by means of an abutment M, which serves as a catch and which can be provided with an alarm-signal for the purpose of drawing the operators attention to the fact that the channel requires to be recharged.

It is obvious that when the metal pieces reach the end of the carrying-surface of the band they will slide down, owing to gravity, into the melting-chamber.

Having now fully described my said invention and the manner in which the same is to be operated, I declare that what I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In linotype-machines, an automatic device for feeding type-metal to the melting-pot comprising an endless carrier, means forimparting an intermittent movement to said carrier, and means for varying the extent of each movement of said carrier.

2. In linotype-machines, an automatic device for feeding type-metal to the melting-pot, comprising in combination an endless carrier apron or belt, a drum over which said belt passes, a toothed wheel rotatable with the drum, a vertically-movable rod having a jointed section engaging with the toothed wheel, and means for imparting reciprocatory movements to the rod.

3. In linotype-machines an automatic device for feeding type-metal to the melting-pot comprising in combination an endless carrier apron or belt, a drum over which said belt passes, a toothed wheel rotatable with the drum, a vertically movable rod having a jointed section engaging with the toothed wheel, a second vertically movable rod, means intermittently acting upon the latter rod to reciprocate it, and means intermediate the two rods whereby reciprocation of the last-mentioned rod will impart reciprocation to the first rod.

l. In linotype-machines, an automatic device for feeding type-metal to the melting-pot, comprising in combination an endless carrier apron or belt, a drum over which said belt passes, a toothed wheel rotatable with the drum, a vertically movable rod having a jointed section engaging with the toothed wheel, said rod being provided with rackteeth, a second vertically movable rod, means for intermittently acting upon the latter rod to reciprocate it, a toothed wheel carried by the said second rod and meshing with the teeth of the first rod, a ratchet-wheel on the shaft of the toothed wheelcarried by the said second rod and a pawl engaging with the said ratchet-wheel.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

LUIGI CESANA.

Witnesses:

S. W. ZANARD, A. RAGG. 

